1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cool air circulating blower for a refrigerator, and more particularly to a cool air circulating blower for a refrigerator that is capable of quickly dispersing air flow leaving a blowing fan to reduce generation of turbulence and stopping condensed water obtained by condensation of moisture laden in the cool air from dropping onto a motor for rotating the blowing fan to prevent any breakdown of the motor due to the condensed water.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a refrigerator stores foodstuffs in a fresh state for a long time using cool air obtained by a refrigerating cycle. The cool air is used to cool down the foodstuffs or prevent any decomposition of the foodstuffs. A cool air circulating blower is disposed in a flow channel through which the cool air is circulated for blowing the cool air to a chilling chamber or a freezing chamber.
FIG. 1 is a side view, in longitudinal section, of a general refrigerator. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional cool air circulating blower for a refrigerator, and FIG. 3 is a front view, in longitudinal section, of the conventional cool air circulating blower for the refrigerator.
As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerator basically comprises a outer case 1 having an open front part, an inner case 2 disposed in the outer case 1 and spaced apart from the outer case 2, a chilling chamber A mounted at the upper part in the inner case 2, a freezing chamber B mounted at the lower part in the inner case 2, a machinery chamber C provided below the freezing chamber B, a door 3 pivotably attached at the upper front part to the outer case 1, and another door 4 pivotably attached at the lower front part to the outer case 1.
Between the outer case 1 and the inner case 2 is defined a flow channel, through which the cool air is supplied to the chilling chamber A or the freezing chamber B. In the flow channel at the freezing chamber B is mounted an evaporator 5 for producing the cool air by heat exchange with atmospheric air. In the flow channel above the evaporator 5 is mounted a blower 10 for upwardly blowing the cool air having passed through the evaporator 5.
In the machinery chamber C are mounted a compressor 6 connected to the evaporator 5 via a refrigerant pipe, a condenser (not shown), and an expander (not shown), all of which constitute a refrigerating cycle together with the evaporator 5 mounted in the flow channel defined between the outer case 1 and the inner case 2. With operation of the refrigerating cycle, the blower 10 is also operated such that air passing through the evaporator 5 is cooled down, and the resulting cool air is supplied to the chilling chamber A or the freezing chamber B. Consequently, the chilling chamber A or the freezing chamber B are maintained at low temperatures, respectively.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the blower 10 comprises a shroud 12 for guiding the flow of the cool air, a blowing fan 14 rotatably mounted inside the shroud 12 for blowing the cool air, a motor 16 with a rotating shaft 15 connected to the blowing fan 14 for rotating the blowing fan 14, and a motor supporting bracket 18 integrally formed beneath the shroud 12 for fixedly supporting the motor 16.
The shroud 12, the surface of which is even, is mounted horizontally in the flow channel. The shroud 12 comprises a central hole 12h formed through the shroud 12, inside which the blowing fan 14 is disposed, and a bell mouth 12a formed in the shape of a circular groove and provided around the central hole 12h for guiding the flow of the cool air.
When the blowing fan 14 is operated, the cool air having passed through the evaporator 5 is guided by means of the bell mouth 12a and passes through the blowing fan 14. The cool air is mainly blown from below the blowing fan 14 to above the blowing fan 14 so that the cool air is supplied to the chilling chamber A and the freezing chamber B.
Specifically, the cool air enters the blowing fan 14 in the radial direction of the blowing fan 14 below the shroud 12, and leaves the blowing fan 14 in the radial direction of the blowing fan 14 above the shroud 12.
The cool air having passed through the blower 10 contains condensed water laden therein. The resulting condensed water drops onto the shroud 12 owing to its own weight, or condenses on the shroud 12. Especially, the condensed air is gathered in the bell mouth 12a formed in the shape of a circular groove since the bottom of the circular groove is lower than the top surface of the shroud 12.
In the conventional cool air circulating blower for the refrigerator, the blowing fan 14 for blowing the cool air is mounted inside the shroud 12 such that the plane of rotation of the blowing fan 14 is level with the shroud 12, the surface of which is planar. Consequently, the cool air leaving the blowing fan 14 in the radial direction of the blowing fan 14 is blown against the shroud 12 to generate turbulence. This turbulence causes noise and reduction in the flow rate of the cool air, with the result that the reliability of the blower is impaired, the blowing efficiency is decreased, and the power consumption is increased.
Furthermore, in the conventional cool air circulating blower for refrigerators, the cool air having passed through the evaporator 5 passes through the shroud 12 and is supplied upwardly with the operation of the blowing fan 14. Consequently, the condensed water obtained by condensation of moisture laden in the cool air condenses on the shroud 12. Especially, the condensed water is gathered in the bell mouth 12a formed in the shape of a circular groove since the bottom of the circular groove is lower than the top surface of the shroud 12.
In consequence, an increasing amount of condensed water is gathered in the bell mouth 12a as the refrigerator is repeatedly operated, and finally the condensed water gathered in the bell mouth 12a overflows and then drops onto the motor 16 mounted below the shroud 12 through the central hole 12h, whereby the motor is damaged, and thus the reliability of the refrigerator itself is impaired.